Rail services in parts of southern England are being reduced because embankments have shrunk and disturbed the track after the sunniest spring in more than a century.
Trains are unable to travel at full speed over embankments in Dorset and Devon that have contracted because of a lack of moisture in the soil.
In the latest example of extreme weather affecting the UK’s railways, South Western Railway (SWR) said that for a safe and reliable service it had no alternative but to reduce the number of trains running.
Journeys from London Waterloo to Exeter will take an hour longer, with trains running at 40mph instead of 85mph for sections of the route.
This year’s was the second driest spring on record for England, with the least amount of rainfall since 1976. The lack of moisture has caused embankments to shrink on a 12-mile stretch of track between Gillingham in Dorset and Axminster in Devon.
The speed restrictions on the single-track route means trains cannot pass at the usual times and places, and SWR said it had been forced to cut services from the schedule.
The operator said dry conditions were likely to continue and that further speed restrictions could be needed.
SWR’s chief operating officer, Stuart Meek, said: “We are very sorry for the disruption that customers will experience due to this change, as we know just how important the west of England line is to the communities it serves.
“We have not taken this decision lightly … However, to continue operating a safe and reliable service, we have no alternative but to introduce a reduced timetable.”
Network Rail’s operations director, Tom Desmond, said: “The safety of our customers is our number one priority, which is why we must impose these speed restrictions. We will regularly review conditions in order to restore the normal timetable as soon as possible.”
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The changing climate has caused problems for the railway in recent years, including the need to impose speed restrictions in extreme summer heat for fear of buckling rails.
Train services were meanwhile cut back in Kent last year after the wettest winters on record also affected tracks and embankments.
Network Rail is spending almost £3bn over the period 2024-29 to tackle the effects of climate change, having already increased its budget to maintain earthworks in the wake of the Stonehaven disaster, when heavy rain and poor drainage led to a landslip.
